so ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



you have danced in many a ball-room, and who remembers perfectly 

 how often tliat splendid two-step was encored ! 



Over at the other end of the room the respectful little semi-circle 

 has been instinctively re-formed, as some more nuns come forward to be 

 presented to the guest of honour and make sweeping curtseys that 

 could not be excelled at court. A pathetically happy group is standing 

 beside one of the deep-set windows. It is a nun with her father and 

 sister, who have permission to follow à la suite on this occasion, and 

 who are seeing her in the same room, instead of through the grille, for 

 the first time for — " ever so long," they say, indefinitely, though they 

 remember well enough the exact dates of such rare events. But that 

 nun pities her sister in the cold world outside, and is really sorry that 

 as you -are a man you can never experience the joys of her cloistered life. 

 This is the private reception room, where the visitors' book is kept; 

 and the nun who holds it open while you write notices that by having 

 paid two visits within a month you have broken all precedents, and she 

 promises you the gold medal for attendance and good conduct. The 

 room is typical of the whole convent. The floor is bare natural wood, 

 spotlessly clean. No First Lieutenant ever had a smarter deck. There is 

 some fine dark panelling round the wialls, harmoniously plain. A door 

 opens through the panel at the far end. It is quite indistinguishable 

 at a little distance, and has an air of mystery about it. How the nuns 

 laugh when you ask if that's the way to their oubliette ! The only orna- 

 ment, beside a few smaU pictures, is a huge, old-fashioned fire-place, 

 with a chimney-nook you would like to sit beside, and build castles in 

 The dying fire some midwinter evening. The mantel-piece and frame 

 are of handsomely carved, smoke-brown oak. The dogs and fire-irons 

 are enoimous, with a long-established air about them. The whole is 

 flanked by cannon balls and shells — grim reminders of troublous times, 

 and glorious trophies of the steadfast bravery shown during the four 

 sieges through which the convent has passed. 



The library lias the appearance of being deep down, the windows being 

 high, and the light coming only from above. You look round and quite 

 naturally ask how many " tomes " there are — "■ volumes " seem such 

 mundane things compared with these ranks of solemn folios. There is 

 a case or two of modem secular books, some up-to-date Canadian his- 

 tories among them. Here is the only known impression of the seal of 

 the famous Company of New France, or Cent Associés, founded by 

 Richelieu in 1627. The seal is three inches in diameter, the encircling 

 (inscriptijon is Me donavit Ludovicus Decimus Tertius, and a figure 

 holding the cross stands against a background spangled with the fleur 

 de lys. On the other side is a ship under sail, with the inscription: 



